After eight wonderful years, I recently transferred from NAS Whidbey Island to Norfolk, Va. Although I fought it tooth and nail to stay, I one day hope to return the most beautiful place I have ever been stationed.

I was pleased to hear of the official announcement of VQ-2’s transfer to Whidbey Island in the hope that I will be able to return. With the excellent relationship between the community and the Navy, I felt Whidbey Island future was never in doubt. However there is a huge problem on NAS Whidbey no one in the community knows about, but it affects everyone on the base. What is this problem you may ask? Simply put, parking.

I have no idea where all of these extra sailors intend on parking. When I was stationed there, my squadron was a resident of hangar six, located across Charles Porter Avenue from the base movie theater. There was many a rainy day where fellow sailors walked at least a quarter mile in wind and rain, not able to get a parking spot or even a spot close by on the grass. Even if you were lucky enough to get a spot on the grass, Base Security was always able to spare a few guards to write a multitude of parking tickets.

Simply stated, the Navy wasted what had to be millions on parking lots near the hospital gate if the base should ever go to Force Protection Level “D.” These lots are designed for all E-6 and below, as we will be shuttled into the base. This never made sense because if you’re in heightened security, having sailors grouped together outside the gates seem to make them better targets. That however is another subject all together. More importantly, these lots have sat empty since their construction, but nothing has been done inside the gates save one or two very small additional lots near the gym.

I hope one day to return to NAS Whidbey Island, but I also hope when I return I have a place to park. For our newly arriving sailors from Spain I’d like to remind them to bring an umbrella and some comfortable walking shoes.

Ken Jenzen